Vishal Bhardwaj's adaptation of Twelfth Night with Priyanka Chopra to go on floors in 2019

Earlier in the year, Vishal Bhardwaj had expressed his desire to work with Priyanka Chopra again after Kaminey (2009) and 7 Khoon Maaf (2010). The Haider (2014) director has now said that his next film with Chopra may go on floors next year.

While promoting his upcoming film, Pataakha, Bhardwaj said, “Priyanka (also) wants to work with me. And we are working with each other. Hopefully, we will start the film next year.”

Although the filmmaker didn’t reveal the subject, in June this year he had expressed interest in adapting Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night with Chopra. While talking to Hindustan Times, a daily, he had said, “Priyanka is now a huge international star; I met her 3-4 times in New York. But she’s still the same, and we both are looking forward to work with each other. Most probably I’ll do my Twelfth Night with her.”

After adapting Shakespeare’s tragedies as a trilogy comprising Maqbool (2004), Omkara (2006) and Haider, Bhardwaj now wants to make a trilogy on the bard's comedies. During a conversation with the Bombay Times, an entertainment daily, in April, Bhardwaj had shared his reasons for adapting Twelfth Night, also revealing the title he has thought for it.

“I have had a lot of people come up to me and ask me when am I going to adapt a Shakespearean comedy for the big screen. The first film in the trilogy will be based on the Twelfth Night. The film will be called Chaudhvin Ki Raat. I want to throw light on the politics, culture and music of contemporary India,” he had said.

Speaking more about the project, he added, “I wanted to adapt it to a more contemporary and Indian setting, I decided to call it Chaudhvin Ki Raat because this night has a huge significance in the Indian context, as the moon is at its most beautiful. I want to throw light on the politics, culture and music of contemporary India.”

The Twelfth Night tells the tale of a woman named Viola who disguises as a man named Cesario in order to work under Duke Orsino. As time passes, Viola falls for Orsino. However, he loves Olivia. When Viola, disguised as Cesario, visits Olivia to deliver love notes of Orsino, she falls for her thinking she is a man.